Toolkits

Real-world, interactive environmental science labs.

All materials included.

Featured Toolkit:

The Story of Plastic Documentary Screening Guide

This feature-length Emmy-winning documentary reveals the human side of the plastic problem. Includes instructions for streaming the film or purchasing a school license. Use our Experience Guide for pre- and post-activities that walk you through classroom discussions about the content of the film and your students responses to it. Find many suggestions for taking action in the classroom, at school, from home, and in the broader community. Many actions are connected with our Student Hub, where students can earn Hours for their contribution to addressing plastic pollution.

Co-created with The Story of Plastic film creators

Grades 8 and up
2 hours plus

Includes a free screening guide - available in English and Spanish

Documentary poster for The Story of Plastic
Toolkit image card - Closeup of copies of Plastic Ocean book on table

NEW!

Plastic Ocean English Language Arts Toolkit

Research, comprehend, discuss, and communicate about the problem of plastic pollution and solutions to this global challenge through a literary lens. Request to borrow our travelling class set of 40 copies of Plastic Ocean. Algalita’s keystone book is written by Cassandra Phillips and Founder Capt. Charles Moore who is credited with discovering the swirling soup of plastic in the North Pacific Ocean. Use three lessons created by educators to build off of the book.

Grades 9 and up
4-6 weeks

Free for public school educators in USA

Contents of the Plastic Ocean Teaching Kit (Previously called the Debris Science Investigation Kit)

A Plastic Ocean Investigation Kit

Investigate the impacts of microplastics on our oceans with 3 rotating activities. The Plastic Ocean Investigation Kit (a.k.a. the Debris Science Investigation Kit) is an all-included, prepared activity for educators to use in the classroom. Students rotate through three hands-on activities, including studying microplastics in an ocean gyre sample, investigating the densities of various plastics and their effects on ecosystems, and mapping out where we find plastics in our oceans. Each activity includes a station card with background information, a student worksheet with investigation instructions, and 3 sets of materials for that station.

Grades 5 and up
50 minutes

$80 value – Free for public school educators in USA

Closeup image of plastic pollution in woody debris of a beach wrackline.

Synthetic Sand Lab

Investigate beach sand for plastic contamination levels, and observe human impacts on coastal ecosystem health, using our microplastic-filled sand samples from Southern California. Each sample kit contains 4 sample jars and 4 magnifying glasses, plus an information card about the sample. Incorporate this lesson into your synthetic materials unit. Students use their senses and a clue sheet to distinguish synthetic debris from natural components in sand like shells, rocks, and plant matter. They then calculate the spatial density of microplastic pollution, and discuss their results.

Grades 5 and up
30 to 60 minutes

$30 value – Free for public school educators in USA

Phone and clip on microscope show shirt fabric magnified. Partner-Moore Institute for Plastic Pollution Research

Investigate Microfibers Lab

Study microfiber air pollution in your classroom with clip-on microscopes. Microfiber pollution and exposure is still a new area of research within the field of plastic pollution. We want to better understand our exposure to airborne microfibers. Join us to study them with our Investigate Microfibers Lab. Compare indoor and outdoor deposition levels using clip-on microscopes and our simple sample collectors.

Co-created with Moore Institute for Plastic Pollution Research

Grades 6 and up
2 to 4 hours across 1 week

$60 value – Free for public school educators in USA

10 kits available for Pilot Stage 2!

* Notice: We currently only ship to locations in the US. 

“You have no idea…but you MADE MY DAY! I’ve been wanting environmental education materials like this for a long time now!”

– Ginneh Lewis, Science Educator at Alliance College-Ready Middle Academy, Los Angeles